Charismatic Species Template
Sometimes, the best way to survive in a harsh world is to get along with others who can help you. Dogs, cats, and many species of birds have evolved to appeal to and act friendly towards humans, using them as a consistent source of food, shelter, and water in exchange for the joy people get from these creatures' presence. The Charismatic Species template takes this idea and applies to races that exploit the best traits of other races to benefit themselves and others, and just like half-elves or aasimar in D20 games, these creatures accomplish that by persuading or bluffing others into thinking that they want to help. Characteristics Charismatic Species have the following modifications to their Base Characteristics: * Charisma: +3. Maximum Cap: +6 to Charisma cap. ** In order to be personable, the Charismatic Species needs to come off as friendly and unassuming, necessitating a higher Charisma. * Ego: -3. Maximum Cap: -6 to Ego cap. ** Because they rely upon others, Charismatic Species have a weaker sense of self and don't stand up well to mental abuse, reflected by their weak Ego. Skills Skill Bonuses: +1d6 Deduction. * Part of being charismatic means being able to read people and situations, and therefore the Charismatic has higher Deductive skills than other species. Skill Penalties: -1d6 Profession skills. * Success for a Charismatic Species is surround themselves with people who are more talented than they are and coordinating their abilities for a greater purpose. Unfortunately, this often means they lack the skills to perform these tasks themselves. Suggested Abilities If the Charismatic Species is capable of Channeling, they would do well to take the Command Power to further control other creatures. To compensate for their lack of Stamina, they would also do well to take Heal and defensive powers such as Invisibility to deter opponents from attacking them. Ecology Physical Description The Charismatic Species needs to look physically appealing to help attract potential helpers. For humans, this means large eyes with big pupils, thin lips, snubbed noses, and angular chins. A good animal comparison would be a typical house cat, which combine these physical traits with expressive facial expressions to coerce humans into taking care of them. * Height Range: Charismatic Species aren't going to vary much from humans, as they have similar physical capabilities. The average male stands 5 feet, 10 inches tall (or 1.77 meters), while the average female is about 5 feet, 4 inches (1.63 meters). Men can be as short as 5'4" or as tall as 6'4" (1.93 meters), while women range from 4'10" (1.47 meters) to 5'10". * Weight Range: Charismatic species weigh about as much as humans do, making the average male weigh between 126 and 178 pounds (57 and 81 kilograms). The average female ranges between 102 and 150 lb (46 and 68 kg). Habitat The Charismatic Species will thrive where ever they can find people to manipulate, whether it's a rural town or a bustling city. It doesn't matter where the civilization is located, so long as it's densely populated. Organization Charismatic Species don't congregate with each other often; too many of the same type of person is grating to them, so families frequently break apart when the children can take care of themselves. They'll sometimes live in pairs if they can't find other people to live with, but otherwise Charismatic Species prefer diverse social circles they can tap into for help with whatever they need. Charismatic Species are unlikely to create their own civilizations, but they will become integral parts of the societies they live in. Behavior Because they lack the technical skills or physical dominance to survive on their own, Charismatic Species are highly manipulative and adaptable to their environments. They are vengeful against those who promise to help them and then go back on their word, but otherwise they're friendly and caring creatures. The Charismatic Species acts as emotional support to their social circles, listening and never judging the friends they themselves rely on.